Graduate Catalog.

Transcription

1 Graduate Catalog

2 Table of Contents Graduate Catalog... Academic Policies... 4 Academic Performance... 4 Program of Study Policies... 6 Graduate Committee... 7 Enrollment & Registration... 8 Master's Degree Requirements al Specialist Degree Completion Requirements... 1 Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements Admissions Information Admission Procedure Admission Status Categories Admission Requirements... 2 Domestic Students International Students Fees, Expenses, and Financial Aid Immunization Requirements... 1 Legal Resident Status... 1 Requirements Quick Reference... 2 Colleges and Degree Programs... 7 Academic Affairs... 7 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences... 9 Agribusiness Management Agricultural Economics... 4 Agricultural and Biological Engineering Animal Nutrition Animal Physiology Animal and Dairy Sciences Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Physiology Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion... 5 Genetics School of Human Sciences Agricultural and Extension Fashion Design and Merchandising Gerontology Certificate... 6 Human Development and Family Studies... 6 Landscape Architecture Plant and Soil Sciences Poultry Science College of Architecture, Art, and Design School of Architecture College of Arts and Sciences Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures Biological Sciences Chemistry Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures Communication English Gender Studies Certificate Program Geosciences History Mathematics and Statistics Philosophy and Religion Physics and Astronomy Political Science and Public Administration Psychology Sociology College of Business Adkerson School of Accountancy Business Administration - Ph.D Finance and Economics Management and Information Systems Marketing, Quantitative Analysis, and Business Law Master of Business Administration College of Counseling, al Psychology, and Foundations Curriculum, Instruction, and Special al Leadership Instructional Systems and Workforce Development Kinesiology Music James Worth Bagley College of Engineering Aerospace Engineering Agricultural and Biological Engineering Applied Physics Biomedical Engineering Certificate Programs Chemical Engineering Civil and Environmental Engineering Computational Engineering Computer Science and Engineering

3 Electrical and Computer Engineering Engineering Mechanics Industrial and Systems Engineering Master of Engineering Mechanical Engineering College of Forest Resources Forestry Sustainable Bioproducts Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion International Services Learning and Teaching Centers Libraries Parking Services Recreational Sports Research Veterans Services Index College of Veterinary Medicine Environmental Toxicology Veterinary Medical Science Degrees and Majors Offered Distance Graduate Assistantships Graduate Calendar Graduate Council Graduate Faculty Graduate Degree Forms Graduation Other Information Campuses Certificate Programs Consortia Contact Information Course Numbering Information Definitions Equal Opportunity Statement Graduate School Mission & History HEOA Disclosure Statements Student Grievances University Mission and Vision University Officers Student Life Assessment and Testing Books and Supplies Career Center Dining Services Graduate Student Association Health Services Housing Services Information Technology

4 Mississippi State University Graduate Catalog Volume MM July 2017 Number 4 Student Responsibility Disclaimer Each student is responsible for understanding and completing all requirements established for his or her degree by the University, college, and department. A student s advisor may not assume that responsibility. Any substitution, waiver, or exemption from established degree requirements may be accomplished only with the approval of the appropriate faculty, college dean, and dean of the Graduate School. This Catalog presents information which, at the time of preparation for printing, most accurately described the courses, curricula, degrees, policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements of the University. No contractual relationships, however, can be established between students and the University upon the information contained herein. The University reserves the right to delete, substitute for, change, or supplement any statement in this Catalog without prior notice. Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, group affiliation, or veteran status.

5 4 Academic Policies Academic Policies Honor Code The MSU Honor Code, adopted in 2007, states: As a Mississippi State University student, I will conduct myself with honor and integrity at all times. I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I accept the actions of those who do. The policy, complete with associated definitions, rules, and programs, is available online at Academic Performance Degree Completion To graduate, the student must complete all University and degree program requirements listed in the Graduate Catalog under which he/she began the program. A graduate student cannot graduate under any of the following circumstances. 1. A GPA lower than.00 for all courses attempted for graduate credit after admission to the degree program or 2. A grade of D or lower on the program of study or. More than two courses (not exceeding 8 credit hours) with a grade of C or lower earned for all courses since admission into the program, including those outside the program of study* or 4. A U grade in thesis or dissertation research credit in the final semester or 5. A grade of I (Incomplete) on his/her transcript *NOTE: The original grade for a course that is retaken will not be included in the eight hours. However, the original grade is included as part of the calculation of the GPA. See the Course Retake Policy (p. 7) section for additional details. No graduate courses with pass/fail credit are accepted as part of a graduate program. Grades of pass/fail are not awarded at MSU and cannot be transferred to MSU. A GPA of.00 on the minor coursework is required for students completing a minor. Provisional Students The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a C). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's Program of Study. Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program s specific requirements. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship. Academic Probation A graduate student should be placed on probation by the department when academic problems occur but the student can potentially meet all degree requirements successfully. Examples of these situations include but are not limited to the following. GPA falls below.00 required by the University Receives a third course grade lower than a B Failure to meet a departmental requirement A student may also be placed on academic probation if he or she falls short of any other standards for satisfactory academic performance established by their academic unit. Specific information relative to retaking of courses or completing remedial work will be established by the appropriate academic advisor, graduate committee, and graduate coordinator and shall be documented in written form. This remediation plan must specify a required date of completion. If the student intends to pursue the academic appeal process relating to the reason for being placed on probation, he or she must do so during the first probationary semester. A student cannot take a preliminary/comprehensive examination or defend/submit a thesis or dissertation during the probationary period. If, at the end of the probationary period, the student has not met the requirements outlined in the remediation plan, she or he shall be dismissed. Academic Dismissal A graduate student shall be dismissed from the University if one or more of the following conditions occur. He or she receives a second course grade of D or lower. He or she receives a fourth course grade of C or lower. He or she is found to be responsible for violating the Student Honor Code for a second time. He or she was placed on academic probation and failed to meets the requirements for release from probationary status. He or she failed a comprehensive examination two times in pursuit of an academic degree. He or she falls short of any standards established by his or her academic unit, and the department recommends dismissal with approval of the College Dean and the Dean of the Graduate School. A student shall be dismissed by the Graduate School for failure to meet University requirements as stated above. A student can also be dismissed if the student's academic department recommends dismissal by submitting a Recommendation for Academic Dismissal ( form (a letter may be attached) from the Graduate Coordinator, approved by the College Dean, to the Dean of the Graduate School clearly stating the departmental requirements the student failed to meet. Upon review and approval of the reason(s) for dismissal, an official academic dismissal letter from the Dean of the Graduate School is sent to the student through the U.S. Postal Service and through to the student's MSU account The letter informs the student that any schedule of classes for the following semester(s) will be dropped, and the Graduate School places an academic dismissal hold on the student s record to prevent further enrollment. The student may refer to the Graduate Catalog for information regarding the appeals process (see Academic Dismissal Appeal Procedure below). A student who has been dismissed from a graduate program and has not been reinstated via the appeal process cannot apply for readmission into that program, except by

6 Mississippi State University 5 meeting the conditions necessary to request Academic Amnesty (see Academic Amnesty under Academic Requirements). Grade Appeal A graduate student who wishes to appeal a grade should refer to the MSU Grade Appeals Policy, Academic Operating Procedure (AOP) and appeal to the Academic Review Board. Dismissal Appeals for Regularly Admitted Students Following the receipt of a letter of dismissal from the Graduate School, a graduate student may appeal the decision of dismissal and must begin the process within 15 work days. The entire appeal process consists of up to three stages. If the entire appeal process is used, all levels of appeal should be normally completed within 60 work days of the submission of the first appeal. At each level, decisions will be promptly rendered by the appropriate administrator. If the appeal of a student is upheld at any level, then the student will be reinstated into the graduate program. Application for readmission is not required. 1. The appeal to the Department Head is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation. The Department Head must inform the Graduate School when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Department Head may convene an existing or ad hoc departmental committee to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Department Head. The Department Head may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals committee. The Department Head will render a decision in writing to the student and copy the notification to the Graduate School. If the dismissal is upheld at the departmental level, the student may appeal the departmental decision by submitting a written request with all relevant supporting documentation to the College Dean. A Department Head may not reverse a dismissal decision if the reversal violates the University's academic dismissal standards. 2. The appeal to the College Dean is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation. The College Dean must inform the Graduate School when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the College Dean may convene an existing or ad hoc college committee to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Dean. The College Dean may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals committee. The College Dean will render a decision in writing to the student and copy to notification to the Graduate School. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the College Dean, he/she may choose to submit a final appeal of the dismissal to the Provost. A College Dean may not reverse a dismissal decision if the reversal violates the University's academic dismissal standards.. The appeal to the Office of the Provost is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation. The Provost will inform the Graduate School when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Provost may request that the Dean of the Graduate School convene a subcommittee consisting of three voting members of the Graduate Council who do not have a conflict of interest with the graduate student or the student's department to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Provost. A subcommittee chair will be named by the Dean of the Graduate School. Relevant supporting documents submitted by the student, department, and/ or the Graduate School will be assembled by the Graduate School and delivered electronically to the subcommittee for review. The subcommittee may choose to deliberate via or in a face-toface meeting. The recommendation of the subcommittee will be conveyed to the Provost in writing and copied to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Provost may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals subcommittee. The Provost will render a decision in writing to the student and copy the notification to the Dean of the Graduate School. Recourse to the Provost is the final stage of dismissal appeal. All correspondence will remain confidential. Dismissal Appeals for Provisionally Admitted Students (Students admitted with the requirement to earn a.00 GPA on first 9 hours of graduate work) Following the receipt of a letter of dismissal from the Graduate School, a graduate student may appeal the decision of dismissal and must begin the process within 15 work days. The entire appeal process consists of two stages. If the entire appeal process is used, both levels of appeal should be normally completed within 60 work days of the submission of the first appeal. At each level, decisions will be promptly rendered by the appropriate administrator. If the appeal of a student is upheld at any level, then the student will be reinstated into the graduate program. Application for readmission is not required. 1. The appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation. The Graduate School will inform the student's department and college when an appeal is received and request a letter of evaluation from both units. In rendering a decision, the Graduate School Dean may convene an existing or ad hoc University committee to review the appeal and offer a recommendation. The Graduate School Dean may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals committee. The Graduate School Dean will render a decision in writing to the student and copy the notification to the student's department and college. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Graduate School Dean, he/she may choose to submit a final appeal of the dismissal to the Provost. 2. The appeal to the Provost is submitted by letter along with relevant support documentation. The Provost must inform the Graduate School when an appeal is received. In rendering a decision, the Provost may request that the Dean of the Graduate School convene a subcommittee consisting of three voting members of the Graduate Council who do not have a conflict of interest with the graduate student or the student's department to review the appeal and offer a recommendation to the Provost. A subcommittee chair will be named by the Dean of the Graduate School. Relevant supporting documents submitted by the student, department, and/or the Graduate School will be assembled and delivered electronically to the subcommittee for review. The subcommittee may choose to deliberate via or in a face-to-face meeting. The recommendation of the subcommittee will be conveyed to the Provost in writing and copied to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Provost may or may not choose to adhere to the recommendation of the appeals subcommittee. The Provost will render a decision in writing to the student and copy the notification to the Dean of the Graduate School as well as the student's department and college. Recourse to the Provost is the final stage of dismissal appeal. All correspondence will remain confidential.

7 6 Academic Policies Academic Amnesty Academic amnesty is designed to provide those graduate students previously enrolled at Mississippi State University the opportunity to have up to 9 hours of previously completed graduate courses eliminated from the computation of his or her grade point average upon successful readmission. To be eligible for the program, an individual cannot have been enrolled as a graduate student at MSU for at least five years. Academic amnesty may be requested of the Dean of the Graduate School through the student s academic Dean s office after either provisional admission to a graduate program or provisional readmission to their former program has been granted by the department. Upon successful completion of at least 9 credit hours with a.00 or higher GPA, provisional admission is removed and the student can then request Academic Amnesty until the end of the semester preceding that in which the student graduates. With notification from the Dean of the Graduate School, the Registrar s Office will segment the student s academic record showing all courses and grades to be included in academic amnesty and recalculate the graduate GPA accordingly. Academic amnesty will be applied to the student s record only once, and the new grade point average will be noted on the transcript at the end of the semester during which the request was approved. The student is permitted to retake a course that was included as part of the 9 hours of coursework eliminated under the academic amnesty. All courses and grades will remain a part of the student s academic record. A notation will appear on the transcript indicating the student was approved for academic amnesty. Those courses approved for academic amnesty and then granted cannot be revalidated or applied toward the completion of another graduate degree. The academic amnesty policy is applicable only upon the in-residency completion of current curriculum requirements to earn a degree. Students must be advised that the academic amnesty provision pertains only to MSU and may not be honored by other institutions of higher learning. [AOP 12.18] PDF/1218.pdf Program of Study Policies Program of Study Using the Graduate Catalog for the academic year of admission, the student must complete with his/her graduate committee develop a program of study (utilizing the CAPP compliance software) consisting of all graduate-level courses required for degree completion according to University-approved program requirements. Changes made to the student's program of study will be reflected in the CAPP compliance as they occur. A student may be required to take an English as a Second Language (ESL), Learning Skills (LSK), Cooperative (CP), or undergraduate course or to audit a course. These courses will be listed in the Unusable section of the Compliance although they are required of the student. A student who has taken a course at the 4000 level is not allowed to enroll in the same course at the 6000 level without explicit permission of the instructor and Graduate Coordinator of the department offering the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Minor A minor is a current block of approved coursework derived from a current MSU degree program or concentration other than the major program. The option of a minor is at the discretion of the major area in which the program is offered and must be approved by the student's major professor and/or graduate committee. The minor coursework is designated on the student s program of study. Up to one-third of the required hours for a minor may be transferred to MSU. Hours transferred toward fulfillment of a minor must be relevant in content to the graduate program when the degree is awarded and must fit within the time-limit requirements for the specific degree. A minor in a master s or educational specialist program must meet the following requirements. At least 9 hours of graduate coursework in the minor field of study. Approval of the student s major professor and/or graduate committee. Approval of the graduate coordinator from the minor area. An MSU Graduate Faculty member from the minor area who serves as minor professor on the student s graduate committee. Fulfillment of any additional requirements as specified by the major and minor areas. A.00 GPA on the minor coursework. A minor in a doctoral program must meet the following requirements. At least 12 hours of graduate coursework in the minor field of study. Approval of the student s major professor and graduate committee. Approval of the graduate coordinator from the minor field of study. An MSU Graduate Faculty member from the minor area who serves as minor professor on the student s graduate committee. Fulfillment of any additional requirements as specified by the major and minor areas. A.00 GPA on the minor coursework. Transferred and Shared Credit Hours Transferred credits are defined as those credits earned in graduate work at another university, whether or not used to satisfy the requirements of a previously earned degree. Shared credits are defined as those credits earned in another graduate program at MSU and and are being applied to two graduate degree programs at MSU. A maximum of 9 credit hours can be shared between two MSU degrees in which a student is enrolled, whether concurrently (see Dual Degrees ( #dualdegreestext) in this publication) or consecutively, when the two degrees are at the same level (i.e. two masters degrees, two educational specialist degrees, two doctoral degrees). Students who transition from an Unclassified admission into a degree program may also apply up to 9 hours of Unclassified graduate work regardless of whether they are also transferring or sharing credits. All transferring or sharing of credits requires approval of the student's graduate committee. See the Transfer Credit section below for more information on transfer policy as well as details of transfer credit restrictions in the appropriate

8 Mississippi State University 7 Degree Requirements section for Master (p. 10), al Specialist (p. 1), and Doctor of Philosophy (p. 16) degrees. Transfer Credit Transfer credit hours from other domestic universities, international universities, or military educational programs may be used to fulfill requirements for graduate degrees at MSU provided they meet the following criteria. 1. Where appropriate, credit hours were earned in programs fully accredited by the appropriate regional and national accrediting bodies. 2. Credit hours contribute to the current program of graduate study.. Credit hours were taken within the appropriate time limit for the current program at completion of the degree (reference General Degree Requirements under Master s, al Specialist, or Doctor of Philosophy). Only courses in which grades of B or higher were earned are accepted for transfer. Courses with grades of Pass/Fail or S/U are not eligible for transfer. Master's or al Specialist students can transfer up to 9 hours of courses used to earn a previous degree. At the doctoral level, transfer credit cannot exceed one-half of the coursework requirement. In all cases, the decision to accept and designate transfer work begins with the student s graduate advisor or committee. Once it is determined that the course meets the required criteria, the student must submit a Transfer Approval Form containing required committee signatures and an official transcript to the Office of the Graduate School (see Transfer Approval Form on the Office of the Graduate School Website). Transfer courses may be given the name that appears on the original transcript but must have the designation of Special Topic (6990/8990). Alternatively, the course may be re-titled using the name, symbol, and number of the equivalent MSU course. Transfer credit cannot be used to satisfy provisional admission requirements. See the Transfer Credit section under each degree. Transfer of Domestic Credit A student seeking to transfer courses from domestic universities is responsible for submitting transcripts, as well as course descriptions and syllabi as required by the graduate advisor or committee for review. The committee will determine those courses appropriate for transfer based on assessment of course content. Credits transferred from domestic universities will be included in the calculation of the student s final grade point average. Transfer of International Credit A student seeking to transfer courses from universities outside the US is responsible for submitting transcripts, course descriptions, and syllabi in English for committee review. The committee will determine appropriate courses for transfer based on assessment of course content and will work with the Office of the Graduate School to ensure that the equivalent of a grade of B or higher was earned. The Office of the Registrar will note such courses on the MSU transcript followed by an S grade. These grades will not be included in the calculation of the student s final grade point average. Transfer of Military Credit A student seeking to transfer courses from military educational programs is responsible for submitting transcripts, course descriptions, and syllabi for committee review. The committee will determine appropriate courses for transfer based on assessment of course content and will work with the Office of the Graduate School to ensure that the equivalent of a grade of B or higher was earned. The Office of the Registrar will note such courses on the MSU transcript followed by an S grade. These grades will not be included in the calculation of the student s final grade point average. Evaluations by the American Council of (ACE) may be used by programs in making decisions concerning the transfer of military courses. Course Retake Policy A student may retake a course if his/her Request to Retake a Course ( request_to_retake_a_course.pdf) is approved. Only one course per degree can be repeated, and this policy applies to any graduate course taken since the beginning of enrollment in the current program. The repeated course must be taken at MSU. If a student retakes a course, the grade earned in the second completion is included on the student's program. Once the course is retaken, the original grade no longer is subject to the University criteria for academic dismissal or degree completion. However, a record of both courses taken will remain on the permanent transcript, and both grades will be included in the computation of the final GPA. No additional program credit hours are generated from a repeated course. Some courses are approved for repeated enrollment and credit (e.g., internships, special topics, thesis, dissertation, etc.), and additional program credit hours can be generated in these cases. Incomplete Grades An instructor may submit a grade of I (Incomplete) when a student does not complete course requirements. Graduate students who receive a grade of I must complete all work no later than the last day of class of the next semester (excluding summer) whether the student is enrolled or not. The specific date for each semester is found on the Graduate Academic Calendar (p. 207). Failure to remove an I grade during the specified time will result in the automatic grade of F. Once this has occurred, no additional grade change is allowed except under extreme circumstances as approved by the Provost. A grade of I cannot be assigned for thesis/dissertation credits. Assigning and changing incomplete grades is governed by the academic policy AOP12.12 ( Graduate Committee Committee Membership Master's, al Specialist, and Doctor of Philosophy sections of this publication state Graduate Committee membership requirements for the respective degree. The student and committee will submit a completed committee request form to the Graduate School which must include the following information for each committee member. Typed name Level of Appointment (1 or 2) Name of academic department that appointed the committee member to Graduate Faculty Committee member's signature

9 8 Academic Policies The student and Graduate Coordinator are also required to sign the form. If the student experiences a problem concerning committee membership, the student should follow the academic appeal procedure outlined in Graduate Student Academic Grievance Procedure (AOP 12.7 ( MSU Graduate Faculty Committee Members MSU Graduate Faculty members (p. 21) are listed by college/ department in this Catalog. Non-Graduate Faculty Committee Members For a thesis committee, three members are the minimum required and two of those must be members of the Graduate Faculty. These may be either Level 1 or Level 2 Graduate Faculty. For a doctoral committee, four members are the minimum required and three of those must be members of the Graduate Faculty. At minimum, at least one of the doctoral committee must be Level 1 Graduate Faculty status in order to serve as the major professor and committee chair. In all cases where the advisory committee consists of numbers above the minimum, greater than 50% of the committee members must be members of the Graduate Faculty. Non-Graduate Faculty committee members are expected to have a graduate degree or commensurate expertise in the field of study. The decision whether or not a person who does not hold Level 1 or Level 2 status is qualified to serve on a thesis or dissertation committee will be determined by the department/college. Non-Graduate Faculty committee members can serve as a co-thesis director of research with a Level 1 or Level 2 member of the Graduate Faculty or can serve as a co-dissertation director of the research along with a Level 1 member of the Graduate Faculty. Non-Graduate Faculty committee members cannot serve as a major professor or committee chair. If a non-graduate Faculty committee member serves as co-thesis director or co-dissertation director, it is expected that the individual will have education and research expertise commensurate with Level 2 and Level 1 Graduate Faculty, respectively. Membership Changes Committee membership changes are submitted to the Graduate School on the graduate committee change form. The new and departing committee member(s) and the student must sign the form. If, subsequent to the administration of the final or oral/written comprehensive examination, a student s request to remove a member of the graduate committee is not met with the approval of that member, then the student must submit to the Dean of the Graduate School a written request containing suitable justification for removal of the committee member. The Dean of the Graduate School will then decide if removal is necessary and accordingly inform the student, the committee member, the major professor, and the Graduate Coordinator. Enrollment & Registration Policies regarding enrollment for graduate students differ significantly from those for undergraduate students. This section defines and details policy and procedure regarding requirements for part-time, full-time, required enrollment, continuous enrollment, and graduate assistantship enrollment. Continuous Enrollment The continuous enrollment policy applies when a graduate student has completed all coursework but has not met other requirements (typically the master's comprehensive examination, master's thesis defense, thesis submission, doctoral dissertation defense, or dissertation submission). These students must be continuously enrolled for (1) a minimum of one graduate credit hour during the fall semester and (2) one credit hour during the following spring or summer semester until degree requirements are met. The Continuous Enrollment policy applies to students in one of the following circumstances. A non-thesis master's student who lacks only sitting for the comprehensive examination must be continuously enrolled after the coursework is completed until taking the comprehensive examination. A non-thesis educational specialist student who lacks only sitting for the comprehensive examination must be continuously enrolled after the coursework is completed until taking the comprehensive examination. A thesis-option master's student who has not submitted a thesis must be continuously enrolled after the coursework is completed until submitting the final approved thesis to the Library. A thesis-option educational specialist student who has not submitted a thesis must be continuously enrolled after the coursework is completed until submitting the final approved thesis to the Library. A doctoral student who has completed all coursework and passed preliminary/comprehensive examinations must be continuously enrolled until submitting the final approved dissertation to the Library. A student who fails to be continuously enrolled is required to register retroactively and pay tuition and registration fees for missed terms at current rates. Full-time Course Load Fall and Spring A full-time course load in fall and spring semesters is enrollment in 9-1 credit hours. A student may register for up to 16 hours only by submitting to the Registrar s Office a Scheduling Overload Form ( Request_for_scheduling_overload_graduate_students.pdf) approved by the student s college dean and sent to the Registrar for processing. This form must be sent to the Registrar. It does not require Graduate School approval. Summer The Summer maximum course load is as follows. credit hours for Maymester 7 hours for a 5-week summer session 1 hours for the 10-week term a total of 1 hours for the entire summer semester A total of 6 credit hours is considered full-time Summer enrollment. Audit hours may not be used to satisfy the full-time enrollment requirement.

10 Mississippi State University 9 A student may not schedule courses offered on campus and in external programs concurrently whereby the maximum number of credits that may be earned in a semester or term is exceeded. Graduate Assistantship A student holding an assistantship appointment is required to maintain full-time enrollment throughout the full appointment period. A student holding a half-summer graduate assistantship must be registered during the term of the assistantship. Audit hours may not be used to satisfy the full-time enrollment requirement. See the Graduate Assistantship (p. 204) section of this publication for a description of enrollment and all requirements for holding an assistantship. Required Enrollment A student must enroll at MSU for at least one graduate credit hour in the semester that he/she meets any of the following degree requirements. Sits for an oral and/or written comprehensive examination Defends a thesis/dissertation* Submits the initial thesis/dissertation manuscript to the Library* Submits the final thesis/dissertation manuscript to the Library* A student who holds a graduate assistantship is required to maintain fulltime enrollment. Other students may be required to be enrolled full-time for different reasons. Late Thesis/Dissertation Submission (after Initial and Final Submission Deadlines published in the Graduate Calendar) Graduate students who pass the thesis/dissertation defense by the end of a semester and meet all other graduation requirements except the deadlines for thesis/dissertation submission to the Library may adhere to the following procedure. Defend their thesis/dissertation no later than the end of the semester. End of semester is defined as the date/time grades are due to the Registrar's Office. This date is posted each semester on the Graduate Calendar ( graduate/academic-policies/enrollment-requirements/graduate %20Calendar).and the University Calendar. Enroll in a zero-credit hour course (GRD ) the following semester. The zero-credit hour course shall have an associated fee of $100. Students are allowed to enroll in the zero-credit hour course only one time. Students enrolled in the zero-credit hour course must meet all of that semester's Library submission and graduation application deadlines. GRD 9010 Graduate Degree Completion 0 Registration When a student is admitted into a degree program or as an Unclassified graduate student, the following steps are followed to register for class. Graduate student admitted to a degree program: the student must meet with his/her advisor to determine course(s) for the subsequent semester and receive a release for online registration. Unclassified graduate student: the student uses an Unclassified Registration Form ( unclassified_graduate_worksheet.pdf) to request permission from the academic department(s) to take a course. This permission includes the department's entering a major override in Banner for each course. When permission is obtained, the student submits the form to the Graduate School to receive the registration release. To register, the student accesses the Registration menu on MyBanner for Students and clicks on Register for Classes to enroll. Audit a Course Upon recommendation from the relevant course instructor and subject to approval by the appropriate Dean and Registrar, a student may enroll to audit a course. The approval to audit must occur prior to the official enrollment count day (tenth class day for spring and fall semesters; third class day for summer school sessions). A student may not change from credit to audit or audit to credit status after the official enrollment count day. An audited course counts as part of the regular load. Students auditing a class are not required to take tests and/or examinations or to prepare other written assignments. Otherwise, conformity to regular classroom rules including attendance requirements is the same as for students taking the course for credit. At the time the request for audit is approved, the professor will inform the student auditing the class of attendance expectations. Failure to meet any or all of these requirements may result in an auditor being administratively dropped from the class roll. No audited course may be counted as part of the required hours of any degree or program requirements. A student who must be enrolled full-time cannot count an audited course as part of full-time enrollment; an audited course must be taken in addition to enrollment in 9 hours. This is especially important for graduate assistants. Dual (Concurrent) Degrees An applicant may apply and be admitted into more than one degree program concurrently. Concurrent degree matriculation requires approval of each department provided to Graduate School Admissions staff. If the student is approved to pursue two degrees concurrently at MSU, no more than 9 hours of coursework used in one degree program may be applied toward meeting the requirements for the second degree. Add/Drop Schedule Changes - Fall and Spring Semesters A student has through the fifth class day into the semester to drop a course and through the sixth class day to add a course without being assessed a fee or academic penalty. From the fifth class day through the 6th class day, a student who elects to drop a course must receive the approval of his/her advisor, will be assigned a W on his/her academic record, and be assessed a fee. Summer Maymester, First Term, Second Term, and and Ten-Week Term Consult the Registrar's Calendar or the Graduate Calendar for add/drop dates for each Summer term.

11 10 Academic Policies Withdrawal (Drop entire current semester schedule) To drop an entire current semester schedule, the student accesses the Withdrawal Request found on the MyBanner for Students Registration Menu. By completing this process, the student avoids the automatic assignment of grades of F and assessment of outstanding tuition and fees, even if the student never attended class. Following the outlined procedure also avoids future difficulties in obtaining transcripts or reentering the University. In most circumstances the student is permitted to register for the subsequent semester without penalty. A summer semester student uses the Withdrawal Request when dropping the entire schedule for Maymester or either of the 5-week terms or the 10-week term. Withdrawing from one summer term (e.g., Maymester) does not affect the student s schedule for another summer term (e.g., 2nd 5-week). The withdrawal of a student is not effective for any date prior to the actual date of withdrawal except in documented cases of serious illness or extreme hardship, and then only upon approval of the student s academic Dean. The student is responsible for payment of all tuition and fee charges unless he/she CANCELS HIS OR HER SCHEDULE before classes begin. See the refund schedule at Failure to take prompt and appropriate action may result in significant payment obligations and holds. Retroactive Withdrawal (Drop entire prior semester schedule) In rare and unusual circumstances, a student may request a retroactive withdrawal for a previous semester by submitting a completed petition. A copy of the petition form can be obtained online at the Retroactive Withdrawal Form Webpage ( students/forms/forms/petition_for_retroactive_withdrawal.pdf). The student must also submit all required documentation. The student s academic Dean, the Dean of the Graduate School, and the Provost must approve the request for retroactive withdrawal. Master's Degree Requirements Academic departments in seven colleges at Mississippi State University offer Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), and a number of specialized master's degrees. Refer to Graduate Degrees and Majors Offered (p. 195) for a complete list. Check Requirements Quick Reference (p. 2) for admission requirements for specific programs. Consult Admissions Information (p. 20) and the specific master s program description in the correct College and Degree Programs (p. 7) section. Go to the Graduate School ( website to apply online. Master s Graduate Committee Committee Composition For a master's degree committee, a minimum of three members are required and they must hold either a Level 1 or Level 2 Graduate Faculty appointment. One member may be a minor professor, if the student has a minor program. The major professor is chair of the committee, must hold Level 1 or Level 2 Graduate Faculty status, and must be from the student s major department/program. A limited number of Non-Graduate Faculty members may serve on a committee. Non-Graduate Faculty members are expected to have a graduate degree or commensurate expertise in the field of study. The decision regarding the qualifications of a Non-Graduate Faculty member to serve on a master's degree committee will be determined by the department/college. In all cases where the committee consists of numbers above the minimum, greater than 50% of the committee members must hold hold Graduate Faculty status. Non-Graduate Faculty committee members cannot serve as a major professor or committee chair. Non-Graduate Faculty committee members can serve as a co-thesis director of the research along with a Level 1 or Level 2 member of the Graduate Faculty for students in a thesis-option program. If this occurs, it is expected that the Non-Graduate Faculty committee member will have education and research expertise commensurate with Level 1 or Level 2 Graduate Faculty. The Committee Request ( pdf_forms/graduate_program_of_study.pdf)form is submitted to the Graduate School. Students in non-thesis programs with no variation in program of study and/or with standardized examinations are not required to have committees. Committee Changes When the committee composition changes, the student submits a Change of Committee ( request_for_change_of_committee_members.pdf) form to the Graduate School reporting the changes. If, subsequent to the administration of the final or oral/written comprehensive examination, a student s request to remove a member of the graduate committee is not met with the approval (signature) of that member, the student must submit to the Dean of the Graduate School a written request containing suitable justification for removal of the committee member. The Dean will then decide if removal is necessary and accordingly inform the student, the committee member, the major professor, and the Graduate Coordinator. Master s Program of Study Course Requirements A minimum of 0 credit hours of graduate study is required in all master s degree programs although some programs require more credits. During the first semester of enrollment, the student must complete with his/her graduate committee a C ( graduate_program_of_study.pdf)app Compliance consisting of all courses and research credits required for degree completion according to Graduate School policy and the program requirements in the Catalog of

12 Mississippi State University 11 the Graduate School for the academic year the student was admitted and enrolled. Thesis-option students must include at least 24 hours of graduate coursework and 6 hours of research/thesis. A minimum of 12 coursework credit hours, exclusive of thesis/research credits, must be 8000 level or higher. Non-thesis coursework requirements consist of a minimum of 0 hours of coursework, with at least 15 hours at 8000 level or higher. A student may be required to take an ESL, LSK, or undergraduate course. These courses or an audited course cannot be used toward coursework completion requirements of a graduate degree. A maximum of 6 credit hours of Directed Individual Study (DIS) coursework can taken toward the degree. DIS courses are designated as 7000-level credit hours and may be used to meet the 8000-level course requirement. A student who took a course at the 4000 level is not allowed to enroll in the same course for credit at the 6000 level without explicit permission of the instructor and Graduate Coordinator of the department offering the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Minor A minor is a current block of approved coursework derived from a current MSU degree program or concentration other than the major program. The option of a minor must be approved by the student's major professor and/or graduate committee. The minor coursework is designated as such on the student's CAPP Compliance, and the student's committee must include a minor professor. Up to one-third of the required hours for a minor may be transferred to MSU. Hours transferred toward fulfillment of a minor must be relevant in content to the minor and meet time-limit requirements for the degree. A minor in a master s or educational specialist program must meet the following requirements. At least 9 hours of graduate coursework in the minor field of study Approval of the student s major professor and/or graduate committee Approval of the Graduate Coordinator from the minor area An MSU Graduate Faculty member from the minor area who serves as minor professor on the student s graduate committee A.00 GPA on the minor coursework Transfer Credit Transfer credit can be accepted for courses that are relevant in content toward completion of a degree and fall within the eight-year time limit for a master's degree. A Transfer Approval form signed by the student's graduate committee must be submitted to the Graduate School with an official transcript (unless the transcript was submitted with the student's admission application). See the Transfer Credit (p. 6) section and the Transferred and Shared Credit Hours (p. 6) section for additional details. A student may transfer up to 9 semester hours of coursework with grades of B or higher taken at other domestic universities, international universities or military educational programs to meet requirements for a master s degree at MSU if the courses meet the Graduate School and departmental requirements. If a master's program requires more than 40 hours, the committee may approve transfer credits of up to 0 percent of the required credits. International and military transfer credits are given S grades on the MSU transcript. Thesis research credit hours cannot be transferred. A student with a minor may transfer up to one-third of the required hours for a minor (9 hours at the master s level). Master s Comprehensive Examination A final comprehensive examination is required of all non-thesis degree candidates except those in a prescribed program that was approved without this requirement. A student in a thesis-option program may be required to take a comprehensive examination in addition to the thesis defense (see program requirements). The following examination requirements must be met. Master's degree candidates are required to take an oral examination, a written examination, or both. A student must be enrolled in a graduate course at MSU during the semester the exam is administered. A student taking a comprehensive examination during the summer semester can be enrolled in any summer term. The examination date must meet the deadline posted on the Graduate Academic Calendar (p. 207). A student in a thesis-option program may be required to take a comprehensive examination in addition to the thesis defense. A student must have a.00 GPA when sitting for the examination. The student must be within the last 6 hours or in the terminal semester of coursework excluding internship/practicum courses. The Declaration of Examination/Defense ( comprehensive_exam_announcement.pdf) form must be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date of examination announcing the examination and confirming completion of requirements. The candidate's examination should demonstrate the following. a. the candidate s thorough familiarity with the literature in the major field b. the relation of the special subject to allied subjects c. the level of general knowledge and training, including use of oral and written English One negative vote will not constitute failure for a student on a preliminary/comprehensive examination. Two negative votes will constitute failure for a student on a preliminary/comprehensive examination. Following the examination, the major professor must promptly submit the completed examination results form, whether pass or fail, to the Graduate School by the deadline. Submission of the report by the student is prohibited. A student who fails the comprehensive exam can apply to schedule another examination after a period of three months has elapsed from the date of the original exam. Two failures result in the student s removal as a master s degree candidate.